LOUISVILLE – Republican candidate for governor Kelly Craft touted support from beyond the bluegrass the weekend before all the votes are cast in the GOP primary with an in-person endorsement from Sen. Ted Cruz.
The Texas Republican minced few words in his support for Craft in Kentucky’s Republican primary to take on presumptive Democratic nominee Gov. Andy Beshear.
“Kelly Craft is a velvet hammer,” Cruz said to laughter from the 100-plus in attendance on Saturday afternoon in Louisville. “She’ll smile at you while she standing up and gutting the Marxists that are trying to destroy us.”
Cruz appeared at the special event at the Hockensmith Barn on the grounds of the Parklands in the South-Eastern portion of Jefferson County. The event saw lots of red meat for the party faithful, as Republicans are set to choose between a dozen candidates for their gubernatorial nominee. Cruz, who is known for his sharp-right rhetoric, said he doesn’t look for the “most conservative” person in any election to support.
“Have any of you noticed that politicians tend to lie,” Cruz pondered rhetorically. “…By the way in a Republican Primary how come they always, always, always beat their chest and say I’m the most conservative guy that ever lived.”
“Let me tell you what I do when making an endorsement,” he said. “I look for the strongest conservative – who can win.”
At the campaign event, Craft touted her nominations from President Trump – first to the ambassadorship to Canada and later to replace Nikki Haley as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
She also rejoiced at the news of Kentucky Board of Education Commissioner Jason Glass being named a finalist for a superintendent job out-of-state.
“Guess what, Jason Glass, heard my voice. How about that? He is on his way out,” Craft told supporters. “He understands – we are going to dismantle the board of education. I am going to write an executive order to get the Kentucky Department of Education reorganized, and that is going to be ratified by our legislators.”
Craft was not the only candidate on the campaign trail this weekend. Nearly every other top contender was making stops on Saturday, and Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced he would be hosting a Tele-Rally that Donald Trump will headline on Sunday evening.
Primary voting takes place on Tuesday, May 16.
